Holder for starter fuel in fireplace grate

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment a tray for oil soaked sawdust is incorporated in the grate. The fire from this starter fuel ignites logs on the grate without resorting to paper and kindling. In a modification the tray is made as an accessory device equipped with hooks to hang under a conventional grate without any modification of the grate. In either case the tray is constructed as a T-shaped trough having a branch extending forward to a conveniently accessible position for igniting the starter fuel with a match.

United States Patent Thomas 1451 Aug. 8, 1972 [s41 HOLDER FOR STARTER FUEL IN FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS FIREPLACE GRATE 565,264 11/ 1944 Great Britain ..126/ 127 [72] Inventor: David L. Thomas, Box 417, Toledo, I

Wash 5 Primary Examiner-Charles .1. Myhre [22] Filed: Nov. 12, 1970 Attorney-lee R. Schermerhom 21 A 1. N 1 1 pp ,0 88,824 [57] ABSTRACT 5: Us. c1. Mm/16s, 11'0/1 F one embodiment a make! sawdust is 511 1111. c1. ..F23h 13/02, F23q 13/04 Corporated in the 8 The fire Starter fuel [58] Field of Search ...l26/164, 165, 25 B, 59.5, 127; ignites s on the grate without resorting to P p and 110/1 F; 431/298, 343; 44/34, 35 kindling. In a modification the tray is made as an accessory device equipped with hooks to hang under a References (med conventional grate without any modification of the grate. In either case the tray is constructed as a T- UNITED T S PATENTS shaped trough having a branch extending forward, to a 413,316 l 839 Gatheman" 126/25 B X conveniently accessible position for igniting the starter 924,315 6/ 1909 Buehring ..126/59.5 f el with a match '1 1,451,195 4/1923 Bagley 126/25 B X 1,934,339 11/1933 Winberg ..l10/1 F X 3Clains,6DnwingFigures PATENTED B 8 I972 INVENTOR DAVID L. THOMAS ATTORNEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a holder for starter fuel in a fireplace grate in order to obviate the necessity for providing kindling to ignite logs on the grate.

In starting a fire in a fireplace it is ordinarily necessary to use a quantity of kindling to ignit the logs or other fuel which it is desired to burn. The task of preparing the kindling often operates as a considerable deterrent to the use and enjoyment of a fireplace, particularly if suitable dry kindling is not readily available. When the logs to be burned are not completely dry, they do not provide a good source of kindling themselves whereby other wood must be obtained and set aside for use specifically in making kindling.

Objects of the invention are, therefore, to simplify the task of starting a fire in a fireplace, to provide a holder for starter fuel in a fireplace grate which will obviate the necessity for kindling, to provide an improved form of grate having incorporated therein a troughshaped holder for starter fuel wuch as oil soaked sawdust, to provide a holder for such starter fuel constructed as an accessory device for attachment to a conventional type of grate, and to provide a T-shaped trough for starter fuel having a branch extending forward to an accessible position for lighting the starter fuel with a match.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present device comprises a T-shaped trough having a main part arranged to extend parallel with logs on the grate and in a position to produce a flame in the draft space between two spaced apart logs on the grate so that the flame from starter fuel in the .trough will rise between the logs and start them burning. A branch of the T extends forward to the front side of the grate to hold a portion of the starter fuel in a convenient position for lighting with a match. The flame quickly travels back to the main portion of the trough. By placing the starter fuel in an optimum position to ignite the logs, only a relatively small amount of starter fuel is necessary.

The T-shaped trough may conveniently be constructed by welding together two pieces of angle iron and providing draft holes therein. In one embodiment the trough is incorporated in the bars of a specially con- FIG. 2 is a fragmentary isometric view of a portion of FIG. 1, with parts broken away; I

FIG. 3 is a view on the line 3-3 in FIG. 1

FIG. 4 is 'a top plan view of a modification wherein the starter fuel tray is made as an accessory device for use with a conventional grate;

FIG. 5 is a view on the line 55 in FIG. 4; and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a handle for manipulating the detachable'tray in FIGS. 4 and 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a common form of I wood burning fireplace grate having a plurality of transverse bars 10 welded to a pair of longitudinal front and back supporting bars 11 and 12. The latter have downtumed ends 13 forming legs to support the grate in elevated position above the hearth. The bars 10 have upturned front and mediate therebetween and a second angle iron 22 forming a branch trough whichextends forward and is welded to the angle iron 21 in an end to side joint at 23. The. grate bars 10 which are intersected by the trough 21 are notched at 24 so that the top of the trough is approximately flush with the tops of these bars.

The ends of trough 21 preferably abut the sides of two of the bars 10 and may be welded thereto at 26. The sides of trough 21 are welded in the notched portions 24 of grate bars 10. Trough 22 rests on top of front grate bar 11 with the front end of this trough projecting forward between two of the upturned ends 14.

structed grate and, in a modification, the trough is Both troughs are provided with draft holes 25.

In laying a fire, a quantity of starter fuel is placed in troughs 21 and 22 and then the logs are placed on the grate. The starter fuel is ignited by applying a match to the fuel at the front end of trough 22. The flame quickly travels back to trough 21 and ignites all the starter fuel throughout the length of trough 21. The logs are arranged on the grate so that the flame from the starter fuel in trough 21 will pass up around them and cause them to start burning.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 the tray 30 is essentially the same as the tray 20 in FIGS. 1 to 3 except that it is made as an accessory device for use on conventional grates without any modification of the grate. Thus, the trough 21 of tray 30 is equipped with a pair of hooks 31 to hang on two of the grate bars 10 and the trough 22 is equipped with a hook 32 to hang on the front bar 11.

' This places the tray 30 a short distance below the grate within the scope of the appended claims are included in v the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING with trough 22 projecting forward under bar 11 in an accessible position for lighting starter fuel therein with a match after the logs have been laid on the grate.

The hooked handle 35 in FIG. 6 is engaged in one of the draft holes 25 in trough 22 to lift trough 22 and slide the tray forward or back on its rear hooks 31.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

' 1. In a fireplace grate having a front bar extending along the front of the grate and a plurality of narrow bars on top of said front bar extending from front to rear, a holder for solid starter fuel comprising two I pieces of angle iron welded together end to side to form a T-shaped trough for the starter fuel, said angle irons having holes therein forming draft openings in said 7 trough, and means mounting said trough on said grate ing means comprising welded connections between said trough and grate, said narrow grate bars being V- notched to receive said one angle iron and said one angle iron being welded in said notches, said forwardly extending angle iron overlying said front bar of the grate between two of said narrow grate bars.

3 A fireplace grate as defined in claim 1, said mounting means comprising a pair of hooks on said one angle iron engaging said narrow grate bars and a hook on said forwardly extending angle iron engaging said front bar of the grate, said hooks suspending said trough under the grate. 

2. A fireplace grate as defined in claim 1, said mounting means comprising welded connections between said trough and grate, said narrow grate bars being V-notched to receive said one angle iron and said one angle iron being welded in said notches, said forwardly extending angle iron overlying said front bar of the grate between two of said narrow grate bars.
 3. A fireplace grate as defined in claim 1, said mounting means comprising a pair of hooks on said one angle iron engaging said narrow grate bars and a hook on said forwardly extending angle iron engaging said front bar of the grate, said hooks suspending said trough under the grate. 